Statute of limitations for DUI in Washington

Rule or statute summary

In Washington, the statute of limitations (SOL) for DUI prosecutions is generally handled under the state’s general criminal limitations rule. Based on the jurisdiction information provided, there is no DUI-specific, claim-type-specific SOL period identified separate from the general framework.

• Default SOL period: 5 years (general/default rule)
• General statute: RCW 9A.04.080

Practical meaning: When you’re assessing whether a DUI charge is timely, you typically start by comparing:

1. the offense date (when the DUI conduct occurred), and
2. the charging/filing date (when the State filed/initiated the DUI charge in court),

against the 5-year default window in RCW 9A.04.080.

Important disclaimer (not legal advice): This is a general/default overview based on the statute cited in the brief. Real case outcomes can depend on procedural events (and whether the limitations period was tolled or otherwise affected).

Citations

• RCW 9A.04.080 — the general statute of limitations for criminal actions (the source of the default 5-year period used here).

Based on the “NOTE” in the brief, the content uses RCW 9A.04.080 as the default rule because no separate DUI-specific sub-rule was found in the provided framework.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool to model the basic time window.

Primary CTA: **Statute of limitations calculator

Run the Statute Of Limitations calculation in DocketMath, then save the output so it can be audited later: Open the calculator.

Inputs to enter (and why they matter)

1. Jurisdiction: Washington (US-WA)
2. Offense date: the date the DUI conduct occurred
3. Charging / filing date: the date the State filed the DUI charge (or the docket/process date your workflow treats as the charging “start” point)

Then select the approach that matches the brief’s finding:

• Rule basis: General/default SOL (because no DUI-specific claim-type SOL rule was identified; this uses RCW 9A.04.080)

What the calculator outputs

DocketMath’s calculator will typically produce:

• Computed SOL expiration date = offense date + 5 years (based on RCW 9A.04.080)
• Timeliness check = whether the charging/filing date occurs on or before that computed expiration date (under the default model)

How outputs change when you adjust inputs

• If the offense date moves later, the SOL expiration date moves later by a similar amount.
• If the charging/filing date moves later, the result may flip from “within the window” to “outside the window” once it passes the computed expiration date.
• If your case includes tolling or extensions, the real-world SOL timeline may differ from the calculator’s default “offense date + 5 years” modeling—so treat the calculator as an initial check, not a final legal determination.

Quick example (illustrative only)

• Offense date: May 15, 2019
• Default SOL expiration (5 years): May 15, 2024 (model using the default 5-year rule in RCW 9A.04.080)

If the filing date is:

• April 30, 2024 → likely within the default window
• June 1, 2024 → likely outside the default window

Again, this example is default-only. Other procedural facts may affect the final analysis.

Practical takeaways (record-checklist)

Before relying on results, verify these items in your documents:

• The exact offense date shown in the charging materials or timeline
• The exact filing/charging date shown on the court docket
• Whether there are any case events that could indicate tolling/extension of the limitations period

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for Washington and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

• RCW 4.16.080

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator